Boy in the Next Room
by AliVal13
Summary: Sora is a lonely boy with a big curiosity. No doors can keep him out, not even hidden ones. Behind the wall is a room, and inside... a beautiful discovery.
1. The Boy That Was Abandoned

DISCLAIMER - I do not own the characters of Riku and/or Sora of Kingdom Hearts. Nor do I own any Final Fantasy characters used.

WARNING - Homosexuality. This is just a really cute story, sex is NOT involved in this one.

RANT - I did some major changes to the story. This time, I am TOTALLY SATISFIED with Chapter One and no more changes will be made to this chapter EVER AGAIN. I don't even care if there are typos I missed.

Please enjoy. x3

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A scrawny little body sat huddled against his side of the carriage, staring out the window with meek interest. He clung to a stitched-up teddybear, squeezing it tight to his tiny chest as his deep sapphire eyes widened- filled only with the purest form of fright and confusion that any normal child would possess.

Just yesterday, he had been dragged out of his old home when some people had found out he had been in the house by himself for five days straight. He wanted to be a good boy and wait for his parents to come home, not be taken from it before they got back. They had left plenty to eat and he knew how to clean, why couldn't he just stay home and wait _there_ instead of coming _here_? Would his parents even allow this if they knew? He wasn't being kidnapped, was he?

The lady said she was there to place him under the guardianship of his aunt and uncle, since his parents had decided to go missing.

_Missing? Missing…? What does that mean?_

She also said, in that most stern and proper way of hers, that he was probably better off. That they weren't meant to have kids because they were just kids themselves. As if that was comforting to hear at all...

The boy looked down sadly at the teddy his mother had gotten for him when he was born. It was as old as he was, maybe even a year or two more, and was a cinnamon and chocolate brown. Just like his hair. It had one eye missing from where he, as an infant just getting his first tooth, had chewed it off.

Tiny fingers daintily touched the place where the button was missing, remembering some of the stories that his mother would tell about how the bear lost his "eye". He knew the truth, but it was always fun to hear tales about how his very own teddy was a pirate that sailed the seven seas in search of Atlantis. Or that the scruffy thing looked the way he did because he had been a soldier, the type that would hide ever-so-cleverly in the underbrush as they awaited the signal to surprise attack the enemy troops. They always made him feel less guilty about hurting the poor stuffed creature…

Blue-eyed, brown-haired Sora loved stories. He tried to remember each one he was told and loved hearing them over and over again. They gave him comfort when he was scared, or happiness when he was sad. Yet there would be no stories shared in this small space that made him feel so trapped with this woman who sat so straight, as he felt both terrorified and on the verge of tears. Now was the time where he would lift his knees to his chest, just over his courageous teddy, and bury his face into the scraggley, but soft fur...

At least, it should have been. This was his last defense against the on-coming hysterics that most children would be having, this curling up upon his seat, but the lady would have none of that. She jerked one of his legs to the floor and tapped at his limbs and head until he was sitting with his feet on the floor and his back upright.

"We'll have none of that now. None of that! Act like a proper gentleman, not some low-class monkey. What will your aunt and uncle think?" She said, quirking a thin, black brow at him. Sora sniffled and bit his lip as he looked down at his feet, getting tapped back into his "gentlemanly" sitting position almost immediately. "They are some of the most respected people in the county, so you should at least show good posture. And none of this sniffling! Most boys dream to be as lucky as you. Be greatful!"

Little Sora looked out the window again, almost choking as he did his best to hold back the tears he so wanted to let go of. Luckily, his teddy was there to be brave for him- to be hugged close to him right when it was needed, and it very much was. Not that this ever even occurred to the bony lady.

"And what's this thing?" She began, eyeing it with pure distaste. "So disgusting! What would your aunt and uncle think? Give it here, I shall rid you of it." She snatched it right out of his hands, getting a wide, horrified look from the brunet boy in return.

"No! Give him BACK!" He lunged at her, biting the hand that held his precious bear. His teeth had always been sharp, so it didn't take much to make her drop the thing before she could throw it out the open window. After, he scurried about the carriage quickly to grab and cling hard to his "Mother's Momento" as he moved back to his seat.

By then, the lady had recovered herself. She used the hand that was bitten to slap Sora hard across his face, more then once, screaming things like, "You ungreatful, insolent brat!" and, "You little horror!" or, "May your new parents throw you in a cellar like you deserve, unclassed little brat!"

_New parents…?_

Even in his state of pain, shock, sadness, fear, and deep need to protect his beloved bear, he was still able to understand what she was saying. She huffed after another minute, straightening her dress out and readjusting her bonnet, the glare never leaving her face as she stared forward. It seemed the lady's breathing was ragged from anger as well.

_What did she mean by new parents? I don't need new parents. Mine are fine!_

"Brat…" She breathed one last time, finally returning to her composed and perfect posture. "You do realize such a thing won't be allowed in the new household. They'll probably destroy it when you're not looking sometime. They may even pretend to like it at first, just so you won't think twice about keeping your damnable rag of a toy safe or wonder if they've done something with it when it suddenly goes missing."

Sora gaped at her, making the black-haired lady smirk in a rather smug way. It was obvious this woman hated children, loved making them miserable, and had a heart as feeling as coal. There was no telling how, or even why, a woman like her was actually doing this kind of volunteer work.

"It'll be for the better. Maybe then you'll even learn some manners."

A whimper came floating forth softly from the boy's side of the carriage, his face buried once again into his teddy.

It was already night-fall when the carriage was starting to rock back and forth more harshly, bumping here and there as it drove down a torch-lit, gravel path. The horse's hooves made cracking sounds as the small pebbles that laid beneath their gigantic feet crumbled apart or broke.

Sora was tired- very, so horribly tired, but he wouldn't allow himself sleep or to even show sleepiness. He even refused to allow the millions of yawns trying to escape him out in fear the woman might try and snatch the bear away again in that moment of weakness. Not that she was paying attention to him anymore, too busy worrying over her face and hair.

Finally, the ride stopped. The man that had been commanding the horses came to the door the lady was seated at, opening it up and offering a hand to help her out.

"Thank you, sir." She stated most politely as her feet touched ground. "Please inform the lord and lady that I have- "

"Arrived. Yes, we know."

Sora still hadn't moved out of the carriage, but he could definitely hear the new man's voice. It was a rather sultry sound, something slow and sad, yet affectionate and comforting. It made Sora relax, though only a bit. He sniffed hard, wiping his eyes where a tear had crept out from exhaustion as the woman began to speak again, just as his door opened to reveal the face of the unfamiliar man.

"Don't cry, Sora." He said kindly, offering a large, pale hand in the same way the driver had to the lady. "Won't you come inside? We have dinner waiting."

Every word this man said seemed to linger on for a moment, like he was trying to excentuate every word to make sure their meaning came out the way he wanted them to. He had hair that was the same color as the moon, or perhaps nighttime snow. His eyes were a greenish color and they seemed to glow an eerie light, even in the shadows. The clothes he wore were that of a soft, black material that appeared to be some form of trench-coat and a white scarf that was almost the same color as his very colorless skin. Underneath, where the boy couldn't see, was a long-sleeved, also black sweater and white undershirt. His pants were for dress and as jet-black as his nice, custom-made shoes.

"I'm your Uncle, Sora. My name is Yazoo." He offered the hand again, smiling softly to show he wasn't going to hurt the boy. He was obviously a very patient man, not at all attempting to rush the young one.

"H-Hi… Uncle… Yazoo…" Sora replied hesitantly, putting his very small hand into the very grown one of his uncle. The brunet was surprised to find how soft the skin was.

"Uncle Yazoo" gave a sweet chuckle and another smile to match, just before pulling Sora quickly into a big hug, that then formed into a gentle carry.

As they began the short trek back to the house, the teddy being clutched defensively as Sora allowed himself to be carried by the seemingly nice man, the woman tried moving forward, with her hands lightly held together and an enormously fake smile on her lips.

"Sir, I'm so glad for you and your nephew, but- "

"Yes, yes. Now, please leave." The reply was rather quick and had a slight exasperation to it.

"What? But what about- "

Was the last thing the two males heard before closing the front door with a soft click. Yazoo could just feel the woman seething on the otherside, hear her growling obscenities about not only getting intterupted, but also at the fact that she was pushed aside for some kid and had a door closed in her face.

"It's good to be rid of her, don't you think...?"

Sora nodded slowly in agreement as he was finally let down. In all honesty, the boy had wanted to see the front yard, but with the outside so dark he wasn't too sure he'd be able to see anything.

_It looks kind of scary out there anyway... But an explorer has to expect danger. I'll worry about adventuring tomorrow, though._

Blue-eyes wandered the new room he was set down in, his feet frozen to the ground. From his position near the door, however, he was able to catch a glimpse of what might have been a dining room… and a woman bending over one side of the table. She seemed to be wearing a long, pink dress, but he wasn't sure. In fact, the only thing he could see of her at the moment was a glimpse of brown hair and the end of her dress.

"That's your aunt, Sora. Her name is Aerith."

The little one gave a jump at the sound of the silver-haired man's voice. He had gotten so caught up in the movement of the woman that he had forgotten where he was.

_She... kind of reminds me of my mother. Their names are even similar._

Sora decided to keep his eyes averted from the dining room then in order to look about the little entrance hall, where he continued to stand. There were white, marble stairs to his left that lasted in the front for six steps, then branched off into two separate stairs the rest of the way up- leading to two strips of the upper floors. The front steps were wide, but not very tall at all. In fact, they looked as if they were meant to hold whole groups of people on each step, people that would congregate and gossip during parties held each year- or so said Yazoo in the background of his mind.

_They look like fun to roll on_, Sora decided in the end, not really caring about all that other stuff.

To his right was a gigantic fireplace that was surrounded by big, cushy chairs of all different styles. A rather soft looking mat laid in the middle just before the brick-laden structure, looking so comfy to him that he almost wanted to walk over and use it for his nap, no matter how silly he would have looked doing so. Everything was covered in deep, relaxing shades of red, grey-blue, black, white, and even some dark-yellow. Nothing seemed too cramped in, yet nothing seemed too broad either. The ceiling above him reached for many feet up, so high it made him a little dizzy.

"So, how do you like the place?"

For the second time since he arrived in the strange new house, Sora jumped. A new, much more feminine voice had interrupted his thoughts and he turned to it questioningly.

It was his "Aunt Aerith", and she was indeed wearing a long, pink dress. She was leaning over Sora, hands on her knees, as she gave a small grin that showed some of her white teeth. Her hair was nearly the same color as his own, just a shade or two lighter. She had big, blue eyes and from the lines on her face, Sora could tell she was most likely a few years Yazoo's elder. The dress had puffy shoulders, long-sleeves, a high neck, and reached to just above her feet. The shoes this new woman wore were like white ballet slippers with a thick heel. A small heart charm- maybe it was a locket?- hung from her swan-like neck, dangling lightly from its thin chain.

"Ye-Yes.." He replied through a whisper, his head tilting toward the floor in a shy manner as his teddy climbed up his chest. He gave it another tight, lasting hug.

"I see." She said softly, giggling after. Aerith stood back up to her full height, moving a step closer to the boy before offering her hand. Sora looked at it through the corner of his eyes... before leading his gaze over to where his uncle was.

Uncle Yazoo was over by the coat-rack, throwing his jacket over one of the many hooks, now showing his sweater. He turned when he felt the large eyes gazing at him through his back, nodding whole-heartedly at the little boy.

With that, he closed his eyes, unconsciously taking hold of Aerith's hand and allowing her to lead him away from the front door to the dining room.

* * *

Okay. Anyone who has read this before can see I have obviously switched out Sora's aunt. I did not not NOT like using a random OC character, AT ALL. And the way I made her was too much like Aerith anyway, I just needed to change the description of her clothes. I am not completely comfortable with Aerith being with Yazoo, but it sure feels a ton better then hooking him up with some girl I made. I don't like Mary-Sues.

Read, review, no flames.


	2. The First Night

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Kingdom Hearts, I just wish I did.

WARNING - Homosexuality and such. Remember, it's cuteness not sexuality.

RANT - Well here's chapter two. It's basically like part two to the introduction, just describing what went on Sora's first night in the house. After this, things get more interesting.

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"Oh, my... Sora, darling, what happened to your face? Its all red on one side!" Aerith's voice was filled with nothing but shocked concern, her eyes widening as she examined the mark from her seat, even leaning over a bit to run the back of her fingers gently across it.

The touch was soothing, but it still made him jerk back. Aerith pulled her hand away quickly, having just realized she may have gone too far.

_She looks just like my mother... but it's just too soon._

"It was Mrs. Seran." Yazoo interjected suddenly, to answer her question for the smaller male. He smiled at his wife warmly. "Don't feel bad, he's just not used to us yet."

_Who's Mrs. Seran? Is that the woman who hit me?_

"The woman who brought you here. Her name is Mrs. Seran, but that doesn't matter now, Sora... You're with us, not her." Yazoo stated, as if replying directly to his thoughts.

"Maybe we should get an ice-pack for it..?" Aerith suggeted gently, brows furrowed together.

"No! I'm fine!" The little one squeaked out as he shook his head furiously, tightening his small legs around the teddy he was protectively holding between his knees. "I don't even feel it. Its just a mark."

Yazoo nodded to confirm his agreement with Sora, giving his wife a rather charming smile.

Aerith just nodded, turning her now perfectly cheerful attention to her partner as she fiddled between her mashed potatoes and peas. "So, Love, did you hear? They're starting a new production at the theatre..."

The little brunet still hadn't touched his food. He just stared at his plate solemnly before staring back up at his new guardians. Curious eyes roamed from the brunet woman, to the silveret as she spoke endlessly about an entire list of rather peculiar things (including something about ferrets versus mice). The only subject that had been on a rather normal level was her talk about the theatre, which was mentioned only because it was supposedly Yazoo's favorite play that was next in line for production there.

Uncle Yazoo was listening intently to every word, smiling softly through his glowing green eyes and chuckling when Aerith got excited enough with what she was talking about to jump in her seat a few times. Most men would have found her words either confusing, silly, or just plain boring- not too mention her childishness annoying... while this man, on the other hand, couldn't wait to hear more and delighted everytime she showed that side of herself.

_They don't seem so bad…_ Sora decided, smiling a bit.

Aerith did one of her little hops again, and almost fell out of her chair when she had suddenly remembered something she had been needing to inform Yazoo. Even Sora laughed this time, his small grin growing until you could see all his teeth. All three smiled together at that moment, especially the two adults as Sora finally dug into his plate- attacking the food as if he were a starved pig.

_Yeah…they aren't so bad. Maybe I could have fun here!_ However, that thought sparked up a recent memory. Sora squeezed his bear with his knees tight. _Can I honestly trust these people?_

The answer came in the form of him scowling at his plate, some sauce on his cheek and his fork held in a firm grasp beside him.

_That woman is just a horrible waste of a person! These people are nice, and made me chicken._ Really good _chicken! ... Then again... I never thought my parents would suddenly leave me either... _Sora looked up at the adults, who weren't paying attention to him at the moment. _I just hope they come back for me soon... and while I wait I'll see what they do. I just hope that lady was wrong..._

The old Grandfather clock sitting in the living room indicated that it was past eight once dinner was done, meaning it was well past Sora's bedtime. His elders carefully walked behind him, taking their time and holding one another's hands. Their free hands holding the stairs' railing as Sora went running ahead and down the hall to his right at the top, checking on each various door that he came across as soon as he made it to the landing.

Nothing looked alike in this place. Each bed was of a victorian style, but not a single one the same color as the next. Every bed's sheets were of different sizes and colors as well, holding various, pretty designs- one even depicting a Van Gogh painting. There were small rugs placed in different parts of each room, each one looking fluffier then the last. Sora finally came to the end of the hall where a large oak door stood on the left. There in the middle of the wood was a small plaque, and engraved on its surface were the words "**Sora's Room**" in long, curvy letters. Two pandas- one eating bamboo, one sleeping- decorated a courner, making Sora grin.

"This is my room! And look, there are black and white bears on it!" He said excitedly, jumping up and down with one hand pointed toward the plaque as his other arm held tight to his fuzzy companion.

"That's right, Sora." Yazoo said, leaning down so that he was eye level with the boy, who grabbed the knob and bit his lower-lip in anticipation, twisting the doorhandle and quickly looking inside.

Both his eyes and his mouth were wide-open. A blue, innocent gaze crossed the room slowly, taking in every inch of what was now officially his.

"My room!" He called again. "My room, my room, my room!"

The boy was running in quick circles along the floor, touching his bed and the shelves, exploring all the little cracks and crevices while he chanted. Only when he was out of breathe did he flop down on his very own little carpet. The bed itself was rather huge. An average sized mattress, but in a bedframe very high off the ground. The covers were a comfy, plain red color, the sheets beneathe pale-yellow, and the pillow-cases were the same color as the sheets. The blanket was very thick with no designs to be seen, but everything else had these strange little stars on them. The stars were little and yellow, with a small green leaf coming off one of the points on each one. It had been hard to see the stars until he was right beside the bed.

"They look like fruits!" Sora exclaimed as he took one of his pillows off and showed it to Yazoo. The boy was now standing on a little wooden staircase that connected from the floor to the side of his new bed. There were only three steps on it, but it was enough to help the short boy up the side of the tall bed.

"Those _are_ fruits." Came a soft reply. "They're called 'Papous'."

"Papou?"

"Yes… And you know, there's a legend behind it to." Yazoo had moved over and taken the pillow from Sora, just to place it back on the bed where it had been before.

"A legend?"

"Yes." Yazoo was now folding back the covers, in a very organized fashion it should be noted, until there was enough room for Sora to scoot in, which he did when prompted by his uncle's waving hand. "If you should ever find one, you should share it only with someone very special. Want to know why, Sora?"

"Why?" The boy asked, snuggling in and hugging his beloved bear into a most comfortable position as he turned on his side to look at his uncle.

"Because legend says that if two people were to ever share a papou together, their destinies would become intertwined… forever."

"What does that mean, Uncle Yazoo?"

Aerith chuckled, finally moving into the room with her husband and nephew.

"You'll understand when you're older. Just know that you should only share a papou with someone you really, truly love." She moved over to the side of the bed Yazoo wasn't on and sat on the edge, looking at Sora in a most affectionate way. "Now, was that story enough to get you to sleep, or would you like another one?"

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Okay. Some revisions, as one can see... and I admit, this chapter goes off of Aerith's normal personality a bit, but it's good enough for now. I think girls who get excited easily are awesome (mainly because I am one of those girls xD). She is still sweet, still mostly in character, and she'll iron out as things go.

Also, I want people to notice a few things in this story. Like how Sora thinks to himself a lot. Little, but obvious, hints like that are more important to the story then one would think.

Read, review, no flames.


	3. The Third Morning

DISCLAIMER - I OWN NOFFING!

WARNING - The usual.

RANT - This chapter I complained about being super rushed and lacking detail, and then was made into multiple chapters. Well, as these are the final revisions, I've decided to see what might still be missing. From what I've seen, it looks more like I have enough detail now, just a lot of awkward sentences... Bah. What will be, will be, I guess.

* * *

The day was making itself forcibly apparent as it crept through Sora's papou curtains for the third time since he arrived. As per usual, feeling the light on his face made Sora wrinkle his nose and turn around to his other side. He was in the middle of a rather good dream, one which he most certainly would love to finish, or to just keep from ending. It involved him and his mother...

They were sharing a papou as she tells him about a time when she was young and doing something rather silly that ended up upsetting her parents. His father was around to, but he was busy setting up a picnic behind them for lunch. They were all at the lake they would visit every summer, Sora in his mother's lap with his mother's legs dangling over the edge of the little dock. No boats, beyond a simple and hand-made row ship, were ever present. Private, peaceful, and the sun always shining through the thin coat of trees and bush. Water glittering, warm waves lapping, and birds dancing in the sky...

"Urgh..." Sora began as his thoughts were suddenly intterupted. He could hear his name being called from just outside the door.

"Breakfast is ready." Uncle Yazoo called with a light rapping of his knuckles, then he walked away from the door when he figured Sora was awake. He had heard the rustling of his blankets and the whiny groans, the same he had heard two mornings before. All indications that Sora didn't want to, but was most certainly moving to get up.

"I-I'm coming, Uncle Yazoo!" Sora called back after a few struggling seconds, jumping from under the sheets and almost falling off the bed... again. It really _was_ a tall bed. However, he caught himself before anything bad happened, then wisely used the little stairs to get down the side.

Sora looked down at his light-blue, silk pajamas, which felt wonderfully comfy- remembering the first night when he still had the clothes he traveled in on when he fell asleep.

_I was so tired that night_, he thought. _I didn't even notice I hadn't changed clothes!_ And Uncle Yazoo had allowed him, even recommended it. Sora had no other clothes to wear, not until the next day, and dirty clothes were better then being naked. _I'm glad Uncle Yazoo let me keep my old clothes... Besides my bear, it's all I have left from home._

Trying his best to hold back a sniffle, Sora grabbed up the teddy that had been left on the bed and hugged it tight. Another sniffle was stifled as he forced his mind to go blank, trying his best to protect himself from the feelings he was having of horrible homesickness.

_They're no where near here... My home is far away..._

"Sora!" Called a familiar feminine voice, making Sora jump and breaking into his depression instantly. "Come to the table, breakfast is getting cold!"

"Breakfast!" Sora smiled wide, running out of the room with his bear companion in tow, and hoping to all things good it was pancakes that had that lovely scent wafting into his room. It was distraction enough, for now at least.

Breakfast had been a welcomed reprieve. Sora sat down with Yazoo and Aerith and discussed with them the coming days' events, though today there was nothing of particular interest. So, with nothing to do and his guardians either gone for the day or working, the little brunet clung to his furry companion and decided to explore the left side of the stairs this time. Originally, he almost thought there had to be a door or some other hallway from the right side of the stairs leading over to the left hall, but there was none. In fact, and this was extremely strange, he was even told to avoid the left hall by his Uncle Yazoo. However, being one who just _had_ to know what others didn't want him to, he of course decided the left hall was where he was going.

On this side there were no bedrooms. There were some closets, a store room or two, huge bathrooms with large, shallow tubs, and a rather gigantic playroom. He walked in with that same look and feel of awe that he had had when he first walked into his new bedroom, wondering if this was the reason why he wasn't allowed in this hall...

Toys, toys, and more toys were gathered along every wall of the room, either standing on shelves or packed in large toy boxes. Anything you could think of, this place had it: toy trains, dominos, checkers, building blocks, a small trampoline, and even squeeze dolls. Everything in here ranged from ages two to ten, the toys meant for older kids on high shelves so that they were out of reach from Sora. The entire place looked as if it had just been put together.

"Wow...!" Was all he could say. He wondered for a moment if it was okay to play with these things, turning to look out the door only to notice the door itself. It had a plaque similar to the one on his bedroom's, but this one had spider monkeys on it. Two of them were jumping around excitedly in the same courner where he had seen the pandas. It said "**Sora's Playground**".

_I wonder why Uncle Yazoo and Aunt Aerith are being so nice to me... I'm not really their child, I'm just a nephew they just met. Even if we're related, I'm still a stranger... _Sora sighed to himself, gently lifting an arm up high to poke the plaque. "I better go... They'll be mad if I'm found. It's probably suppose to be a surprise anyway."

However, his eye caught on a particularly fun looking device, the small Merri-Go-Round in the middle of the room. In an instant, Sora forgot he wasn't suppose to be there.

* * *

Well, there it is. This one is actually pretty short, but when I reread all parts of it, I realized I had accidentally made what could have been three or four chapters into ONE. It was huge!

This first part I didn't have to change much, and it is a bit short, but it's also a little boring. Things get better, I swear!

Read and review. NO FLAMES.


	4. The Boy That Was Found

DISCLAIMER - I do not own anything.

WARNING - Guess. I dare you.

RANT - Ugh. I still think I rushed it. x.x Alas, I'll get over it. I hope everyone enjoys.

* * *

It was closing in on the afternoon of the fourth day when Sora had left the dining room, having just had lunch. It was a delicious meal of exotic fruits and soft meats that had left his stomach full and warm, not to mention the large grin it left on his face as the delicious taste lingered on in his mouth.

Now he was back to exploring. Having spent the rest of yesterday in the playroom before bed time, he thought it most appropriate to move on and ignore the existance of the room for now. He enjoyed the toys that he was given, but the need to see everything there was to see down the hall was far greater then any love for a material thing… except his precious bear, of course. The bear was being held by its arm, dragging somewhat on the floor as the small boy traveled.

The little brunet was happily walking around, opening up different rooms and glancing inside. The excitement that he had on the first day was starting to wane now into disinterest, but he still wanted to see and know more about this house. Even if that led to him running into fifty rooms of nothing but familiar things, accidentally surprising a few servants.

Sora was finally at the end of the hall, just coming out of a room that he could only suppose was his uncle's workroom. Inside had a desk full of papers and shelves of boring books, not to mention the little name tag set on the desk that said "Yazoo Unova"(1). Coming back into the hall, he happened upon a strange sound to his right, almost thinking it was a mistake and he had merely thought he had heard something. However, the sound came again and Sora was drawn to it. He could hear a woman's voice, or what sounded like a woman, coming from behind what looked like a wall.

_A wall...? But I know I heard someone..._

Sora tilted his head at it, brows knit together as he stared on confused. He walked until he was standing right in front of the wall. The voice had stopped speaking, leaving Sora to wonder if it had merely been a maid in another room... The brunet inspected the wall, teddy still by his side, and to his surprise he found there was a crack. A vertical crack. The wall he was staring at was cracked open like a door, it even had nearly invisible hinges on its side. There was light coming out of it.

_Why would someone want to hide a door? I didn't even see it!_

And, of course, his curiousity was perked, making him open the door wider. Inside there was a small, narrow passage way with a few steps leading to another floor. Sora immediately stepped inside, carefully closing the door behind him, just before ascending up the wooden stairs. It didn't take long at all before he reached the top and found a new door blocking his way. Just like the last one, it was slightly cracked open to, though this one didn't blend with anything. It was a normal brown door with a golden knob, which the brunet opened and closed just like before- carefully sneaking inside. He did his best to keep his shoes from making any noises.

"Wow..."

It was like stepping into another world. Sora stood before a hall with three rooms in it, or at least three doors- each with a carved diamond shape. Everything was a glossy, pure white, except for the door knobs. On the right side where two doors stood, the knobs were a bright silver. On the left, Sora saw a knob that was reflecting a rainbow onto the equally white carpet from the sunlight that drifted through the little window at the end of the hall. The brunet approached that door, lightly touching the knob.

_It looks like a big crystal. Or a diamond! It's so pretty!_

The knob was in the shape of a hectagon, displaying many vibrant colors over Sora's hands and face as he inspected it. It lit the whole room up in soft lights of pinks, purples, and blues... Sora giggled at it, wriggling his fingers and delighting in the reflections cast over his skin- just until a soft humming coming from a cracked door to the right invaded his hearing. It was the same feminine noise he heard earlier, though this time it was much clearer- and whoever it was didn't sound too far away. Blue eyes jerked over to the room, just able to see a stout woman in a maid's outfit bending over to clean the floor.

Sora, afraid of being caught and knowing it could lead to trouble, was about to high-tail his way back down the stairs in the weird closet... when he heard a new, much softer noise. It wasn't like the happy humming that almost drowned it out, not at all. It was the painful sound of crying, and the sobs were getting more and more hectic by the second. Sora stopped in his tracks and moved over to the door that he had been interested in before, concern lacing his features. Whoever it was causing the noise was most definitely in there, the boy could tell.

_I really shouldn't bother strangers... But... They sound so hurt. I can't just walk away when someone else is in pain, I'm practically obligated to help!_

"Well, that's all done!" Came the sweet voice of the pudgy lady cleaning-up in the next room. She chuckled at a hard day's work, practically beaming at the room.

Sora, in a rushed panic, decided- without the ability to think of the consequences- to grasp the cold gem knob and turn it. The brunet rushed himself inside as quickly and as quietly as he could, sighing in relief as the door shut silently. After, Sora listened with his ear to the door, his bear sitting slumped beside him. Both his little hands were pressed against the wood to keep him balanced as he listened, unconsciously noting the carpet below him. It was still white, incredibly soft, and didn't seem to dig into his knees like most carpets did.

Once he was certain the woman was gone, her lyrically challenged voice walking past the door and down the hall- the door shutting behind her, did he finally let go of that breathe he was holding. He leaned back on his knees, taking his teddy's arm again and smiled lightly.

_Hmm... Now to get out of here... Hopefully the door opens from this side. I don't want to be stuck here forever! Would Uncle Yazoo even look for me...?_

Sora took very little notice of a someone new barely moving behind him, sheets almost inaudibly rustling. This new figure had a slightly runny nose, red eyes, and moist cheeks, He sniffed in hard and gave a light, wet cough, causing Sora to jump.

"Huh!" Sora exclaimed, turning his head sharply with alarm. He had entirely forgotten about the soft cries of despair he had heard before, cries he had heard from this very room. His blue eyes were wide in shock almost immediately.

Though many things in his new home had impressed him and caught his attention, nothing had managed to steal the breath from his tiny lungs. Just behind him there sat a boy, one that was perhaps four or five years his senior. He had long, white-silver hair, a different shade from Uncle Yazoo. It was only to the boy's shoulders, but it flowed like silk- nearly covering his face. Shiny, majestic hair that sort of reminded Sora of a unicorn's mane. The lights were dim, but the boy on the bed was so pale, he seemed to glow. The boy also had glassy, aquamarine eyes that were similar, but not quite the same bright green as Uncle Yazoo's. However, they were just as eerie. The biggest difference was, perhaps... When Yazoo stared, Sora felt like he was under some intense power and had to look back without any choice at all. When he looked at this young male, he felt something much different- like watching a pond full of swan under a full moon sky. The reflections of water from the moon, the sounds of rippling waves, and the inability to look away from something so perfectly romantic.

Sora's mouth just sat agape, face turning a light pink when he still didn't breathe after a full minute. If he wasn't so young, one might think he had fallen at first sight. The brunet was so caught up with the boy, who stared back- looking confused, he hadn't bothered to inspect the room yet. All his focus was on his elder. The pale boy was wrapped loosely in a sheet with a thick blanket folded neatly at the end of his bed, bony knees bent up and hugged to his chest. Even through the sheets, his was body was obviously very thin. Perhaps more fragile then starved.

"Who are you..?" Came a cracked, hoarse voice, followed by another wet cough. Despite how awful he sounded at the moment, Sora could still hear hints of what he must sound like when he wasn't upset. Such a sweet, yet tangy voice- like biting into a fresh honeydew. The brunet could practically taste the fruit in his mouth.

"I-I'm S-Sora!" Squeaked the tiny one, his voice slightly higher then normal. At least he was breathing again.

"Sora…? You're the boy that just moved in, right?" The stranger smiled kindly, but still seemed very depressed. His sadness hung about like an annoying scent, immediately angering Sora.

_Who would dare upset someone like this? This boy shouldn't be crying, he should be laughing!_

"Uh, yes... Who are you?" Sora was back on his feet now, cautiously moving over to the bed and looking over its edge at the boy curled inside. This bed was even taller then his and there were no platform steps for him to walk on in order to get up there. Though, Sora figured he probably wasn't welcome up there anyway.

"I'm Riku... Your cousin. Do you- Do you want to play?"

* * *

(1)Unova - I wanted Yazoo to have a last name, but the only name I could think of was "Jenova". However, that name didn't seem to work well, so I replaced the "Je" with a "U" and there you have it!

Once again, hints! LOOK FOR'EM.

Read, review, I already know I suck. Do you really need to flame me?


	5. The First Play Time

DISCLAIMER - Don't own. Derpyderp.

WARNING - Homosexuality.

RANT - The timeline for this fiction is late 1800's early 1900's. I did check, "Tic-Tac-Toe" did exist during this period, but it was known as "Tick-and-Tack" or just "Tick Tack". So, before anyone asks me about it... well. There you go. Also, I do know that the house uses electricity. By this time, electricity had been invented and was being used. Some poorer families did not have it.

* * *

Sora stared up at the stranger smiling so sweetly down. He blinked, as if trying to register the question.

_Did I... Did I really... just hear what I think I did?_

A strange shyness had settled around the silver-haired boy, who was rubbing his legs unconsciously through the blankets of his bed. He sniffled one last time and wiped the remainder of his tears away until his eyes felt like they were returning to normal again. The sight of which made Sora want to jump up and hug the life out of him.

"Well…?" The tangy-sweet voice asked, breaking the few thoughts left floating in the brunet's head. He was looking the little one over a moment, probably trying to read the tiny, chubby-cheeked face for an answer since Sora wasn't responding right away.

"Yes!" Sora said, a little too excitedly with a gigantic smile in place, making the older boy jump in surprise. The idea that this young man- this angelic, older boy- wanted to actually play together with _him_, someone so unworthy, had Sora on the verge of hopping up and down across the room. The only thing that stopped him from actually doing it was the fearful look on the other boy's face. "You want to play hide-and-seek?"

"What's that…?" Was the response, along with some mild blinking.

"It's where you go and hide somewhere while I count to ten! Then, I try and find you! If I find you before giving up, I win! If I give up before finding you, you win! And then it's your turn to count and my turn to hide!"

"Oh… Then I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I just can't…" The silver haired boy's voice trailed away sadly as he looked off to the side. So visibly disappointed in _something_, even Sora had seen it. Blue eyes looked at him with affection and confusion, as well as fear- the fear he had done something wrong. He stretched his body up as far as he could reach from the floor and lightly brushed Riku's arm wth his fingertips. The silver-haired boy looked at the tiny hand, then at the owner of it.

"Don't worry! It's not a big deal!" He moved back to a normal stance, free hand now on the edge of the bed. He had removed his touch after seeing Riku's strange expression.

_Maybe that was a bad thing to do... After all, does anyone liked to be touched by a stranger, family or not?_

"Hmm… If not that, then what can you play?" Sora asked cheerfully, looking around at last.

_Wow..._ Was the first thought that entered the little one's mind as his big blue's turned wide, scanning every corner of Riku's bedroom carefully. _Why hadn't I noticed any of this before? _

This room was only half the size of the playroom, but it had all kinds of fantastic things that even Sora's new playplace did not possess. Gigantic teddy bears with big, red bows lined the floors. There was an antique train and railway that ran all across the room near the ceiling and around the headboard- not some little kid's play thing either, but a real, electric powered train that must have taken a lot of time and effort to put together. There were realistic, life-sized tigers, bunnies, horses, and lizards. Jeweled, silver crowns fit for real kings behind gigantic glass shelves, with gorgeous China dolls standing next to them. Japanese fans, big and small alike, littered the wall behind the bed- some made of coral, others of silk- and with all kinds of strange designs. The ceiling was filled with tiny silver, shining stars that Sora would bet glimmered all the time- even in the darkness of night. There were more silver shinies near the corner of the room, which intrigued him the most as they had some strange lettering on them... They appeared to be playing coins.

But _everything_ in the room was white. The train, the animals, the wallpaper, the ceiling- beyond the little stars. The fans were mostly white, the bed, the sheets under the blankets, even the rug. Only the blankets themselves and the curtains over the tiny window held any color, which was a rather plain blue. Riku himself was almost entirely white. His skin was as pale as paper, much like his pajama gown.

The whole room was so beautiful, yet so empty. Like a dream world that could collapse at any moment.

"How about tick-and-tack?" Sora finally, and quite suddenly, suggested. His look of pure awe replaced with his usual silliness. As much as he wouldn't mind playing with all the different objects that surrounded the two of them, he figured they should start slow.

_It takes trust to share and borrow. Trust is something you don't get from a single day of knowing someone. My father taught me that..._ "Yeah, tick-and-tack!"

"Tick and... what?"

"Wow, Riku. You've never heard of that game either?"

The boy shook his head slowly, looking rather ashamed.

"That's alright. I'll show you." Sora said reassuringly as he moved away from the bed, looking around the room for a specific something. "All we need for this is chalk and paper."

"There's paper in the drawer…" Riku pointed to a small, also white dresser next to the bed, "But I only have pencils(1)." Riku was staring at his young, new companion as if he were an exotic bird on display. His head was tilting at a curious angle, aquamarine irises taking in the tiny body.

"Pencils work too!" Sora exclaimed as he immediately began opening the bigger of two drawers, putting his bear down so he could rummage with both hands. Seconds later, he was picking out a few pieces of paper, two pencils, and a book found near the bottom. Riku had a lot of drawing paper in this drawer.

_Is he an artist? Maybe it's just a favorite hobby..? I'll ask about it later, I wanna play now!_

The little one turned back to Riku and placed the book down, laying the pencils next to it and placing the paper gingerly down on the book.

"We'll use the book as a desk for the paper." He explained easily. "Now, we each get a pencil, and then…" Sora took up one of the pencils, standing up on his tip-toes in order to try and see better as he began to draw a scrawly line.

"Er… Why don't you… You can come up here, if you want..." Riku's voice was quiet and his eyes were averted, as if he were certain Sora was going to reject. As if the boy felt like Sora would be immediately put off and want to leave by the suggestion of climbing into bed with him.

"Okay!" Was the very happy reply, to both Riku's surprise and delight, and the pencil was set down again.

Sora grabbed up his cuddly love, then moved over to the end of the bed. He grasped as far to the middle of the sheets as he could, then pulled himself and his scraggly companion up with a surprising amount of ease. It probably would have been even easier had he thought to put the bear on top first before attempting to climb. The fact that the sheets were tucked securely under the mattress was especially helpful.

Watching Sora move about so easily seemed to make Riku glare, just the tiniest bit, but the little "struggle face" Sora had was _terribly_ adorable. Riku couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the bundle of spikey-brown locks.

"Hey! Don't laugh at me because I'm short. It's not nice!"

"Heh heh… Sorry." Riku still had a small smile on his face as a shade of pink began to grow along his features, obviously supressing another chortle. His glare had disappeared instantly for a rather fond look.

Sora was pouting at him, cheeks all puffed out and pink, little eyes trying to glare and failing. _Cute._

"Now, first we create the board." Sora said, ignoring Riku's almost-a-laugh, as he shuffled himself into a comfortable position. He had gathered up a pencil, the "desk", and paper- placing it all between the two of them so Riku could watch. He began to draw four sloppy lines, two lines intersecting over the other two lines in parallel pattern. "Then we choose who gets to be 'X's and who get to be 'O's."

"Why would that matter?"

"Because everyone wants to be X! They're considered good luck, but not as good as a four leaf clover. And because you're new to this, you can have them." Sora smiled wide, showing every little tooth he had, as he handed the other pencil over to Riku. The white-haired boy's lingering blush had darkened without his noticing. "Now watch me, I'll play a game by myself first. The idea is to get three across in a row to win! If you can't before the spaces fill-up, then the cat wins!"

"Why a cat?"

"You know, I'm not sure… It's just, whenever you tie in this game, it's called a "Cat" or "The cat won". Maybe whoever invented the game just liked cats a whole lot?"

"Ah… Strange."

"Yeah." Sora chuckled before continuing on like he was never interrupted. "You choose one, and only one square to put your shape in." He chose the far right corner at the top and placed an "O". "And then your turn is over. The next person- that would be you- does the same…" He placed an "X" on the far left square at the top. "Then it's my turn again…"

He kept doing this until there was a diagnol row of "O's" across the board, looking up at Riku to make sure he was paying attention every now and then. Surprisingly, Riku's eyes never once the left the paper as they peered over it with extreme interest.

"See? That make sense? You're supposed to stop the other person from getting a three-in-a-row while trying to get one yourself!"

"So it's a thinking game? I can do that."

"Alright, let's play then!" Sora created another scribbly nine boxes for him and his new friend, immediately placing an "O" in the same place he had during the example game.

Riku placed the end of his pencil to his mouth, careful not to accidentally chew on it, and tapped it a moment- just before placing an "X" in the very middle.

Sora put an "O" on the top middle box next to his last, and above Riku's "X". Next, the white-haired boy placed an "X" at the end of Sora's almost three-in-a-row. Sora scowled playfully and immediately put a stop to Riku's diagnol line by putting an "O" on the bottom right corner. Riku placed an "X" in the box below and to the side of his other two "X"s. Sora placed an "O" below the new row that was forming downwards- not even noticing that Riku would win either way, which the older boy proved by placing an "X" on the now fully-formed row of horizontal "X's".

"I win." The boy who had been crying before said cheerfully as a small, smug smirk came to cross over his pale-pink lips.

"Of course you did! I let you."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, really! Let's play again! I won't be so nice this time!"

Riku chuckled at him, poking Sora in the ribs with his pencil and getting a small squirm out of the boy. "Alright, but no excuses if I win again. Deal?"

And so play again they did.

And again, and again.

And yes, a fourth time even.

Riku won every game, a little too easily. Yet despite the lack of challenge, he seemed to be having a good time. It was especially entertaining to watch Sora as he rolled around the bed waiting for Riku every time he would take forever to make a move. Little did the brunet know Riku was doing it on purpose, just to annoy him.

"Ohhhh, no fair…"

"Now now, Sora... It's not a big deal! I'm just a great thinker, so this was nothing for me." He chuckled as Sora pouted, poking the brunet in the arm as said brunet slumped over Riku's bed on what he now claimed to be "his side", which happened to be the left side.

"Riku, you silly!" Sora said with a laugh, hitting Riku on the arm in a joking manner, but still making the older boy wince a little from the contact.

"You're the one that wanted to play. Or do you just not like losing all the time?" It seemed Riku was finally getting a little annoyed with Sora's antics now as he rubbed his arm soothingly.

"I'm sorry, Riku. I had a lot of fun! We should play harder games. You know, challenge you some! If this game was too easy for you, maybe I'd have a better chance at something harder!"

"What kind of logic is that…?"

"What is... 'logic'?"

"... Nevermind."

Sora just decided to let it go as he began to curl up into a ball next to Riku. The silver-haired boy watched him, lifting his hand up to play with a few cinnamon locks as the brunet got comfy on the pillow. Sora snuggled up close to Riku's side where he hugged the older boy, arms moving gently around the thin waist of his cousin. Sora hugged him, much like he would with his teddy bear, which laid partially forgotten at the foot of the bed.

"I like you. I'm glad you're my cousin."

"Silly, you barely know me..." Riku's words were just above a whisper. It seemed as if he might have been day-dreaming just then, with the way his eyes were half-lid. It indicated his mind was only half there.

"Hm... What game could we play next?" Sora's face was still nestled in between a fluffy, white thing and a strangely snuggly cousin when he spoke- voice slightly muffled. His arms had decided to linger and were hanging loosely around Riku's middle, which was something the silver-haired boy didn't seem to mind. "How about..."

The two went on for what seemed like days, but was actually a mere three hours. They played game after game, gradually working from paper to cards. Over this small patch of time, even the arguments would change. Going from Sora just being whiny about certain things, to Riku making fun of Sora about being whiny. These arguments had become enjoyable for the silver-haired pre-teen. Every time one would occur, meaning that Riku had made fun of Sora about his hair or personality, Sora would go into this pouty, "I'm Not Speaking To You," mood. Then the elder would "cure" it by tickling the younger to near-death. He was starting to pick fights just so he'd have an excuse for it, until he forewent the arguments and just tickled as he pleased. They were in the middle of a game of Rummy when another "tickle attack" occurred, interrupting the game for the umpteenth time.

Sora was flailing and giggling next to Riku, who was slumped over his side with his legs at akward angles. One might have thought his legs were broken if he didn't move them every now and then…

The silver-haired boy finally stopped when Sora tried to fake death for the third time, using his arms- with just _some_ assistance from his lanky legs- to slowly drag himself back up to the headboard. One eye was half-closed in pain when he finally dragged himself that last foot along the bed with a jerk from his elbow, finally flopping his head down as he laid along his back. He was breathing a bit hard. The two boys had gradually made their way to the end of the bed and had been sprawled out along it during their games.

Sora had been surprised to see Riku's clothing when the older boy first crawled out from under the sheets. The silver-one had been wearing a gigantic, white shirt or dress of sorts. It was rather interesting to see, and it made Sora giggle (only once, and that was because Riku apparently didn't wear underwear. The shirt fell up by accident and all was revealed, making Sora laugh uncontrollably like the immature little fellow he was). Sora crawled back over to Riku and snuggled himself up against the elder as he had earlier before, smiling wide as he laid his head against Riku's flat chest. Riku wrapped an arm about Sora's shoulders, playing with the young one's hair again. Sora nearly gave a purr of contentment, laying there with his ear against the other's heartbeat. Riku had nimble fingers, fingers that knew exactly how to message the brunet's scalp.

"Riku, I'm tired…"

"Then go to sleep."

"You'd let me sleep in your room?"

"As long as you don't snore or wrestle about, I don't see why not."

The brunet smiled again, snuggling up closer as he began to prepare himself for a good, long snooze. The other boy followed up as he tilted his body around and shuffled about to fit better. It didn't take long for the two to finally sit still, soft breathing over taking the strangely stale room air.

_Hmm..._ Sora's mind began as he slowly drifted off. _We fit so well together... Even with my mother, I could never be completely comfortable next to her in bed. Riku feels just right..._

"What's that…?" Riku asked softly as something as brown as Sora's hair suddenly caught in his peripheral vision. He pointed his finger towards the object in question when Sora looked up at him confused. Of course, Riku knew what it was… and also knew Sora probably wouldn't like it being left unattended like that- what with the way the boy practically smothered himself with it so many times during their play.

"Hm? Oh, that's my bear… That's my bear!" Sora bolted out of Riku's hold, making the elder child scowl.

The brunet, in his hurry, forgot that he was a few feet from the ground. Just high enough to fall with a yelp and land heavily onto the carpet. Face first.

Riku snickered at him, his smirk widened. His eyes almost seemed cruel for a moment, at least until he noticed Sora had honestly hurt himself in the fall. "You okay? Did you hit your head?"

Sora sniffed a little as he sat up and looked at Riku sadly, both hands clasped over his forehead. "Y-Yes..." He managed to get out, using most of his will to keep from crying.

Riku turned to look away for some reason, biting at his bottom lip.

_Why does he have that guilty look on his face...?_ The brunet merely shrugged it off almost as soon as he thought it, giving his bumped head another quick rub before gathering up his beloved treasure.

"I can't believe I knocked you off the bed…" He whispered to his bear, picking it up and giving it a tight squeeze. "I'm so sorry, I'll never hurt you again!"

Riku was back to staring at the boy. Instead of seeming guilty anymore, he seemed rather... depressed. Maybe even annoyed, which was something his tone of voice indicated. "You want to just go to your room to sleep? I'm sure you have plenty of toys there. You don't need me for that."

"What do you mean? I'm with you because you're my friend, not because of your toys!" It was rather true. Not only had Riku somehow managed to get him to be so distracted that he didn't even notice as he abused his "war veteran" of a bear, but the two hadn't touched a single toy. Sora had never had more fun in his life. "Do you want me to leave?"

Riku laid his chin down on his arms as he brought his knees up, giving a deep sigh. "No, stay. I want you to. Sorry about that..."

"About what?" Sora asked after nodding his head and moving back over to the bed. He laid the bear down on the bed next to Riku before trying to climb back up. It was just as amusing to see as the first time, leading Riku to laugh again. "You're so mean!"

"Or you're just too sensitive." Riku retorted smuggly.

Sora stuck his tounge out at him playfully as he crawled back over to the other boy.

Riku was already pulling himself back into the position his was in before, waiting for his little cousin. The brunet grabbed up his bear and snuggled up once more against the warm chest he had been about to sleep on, adjusting his bear so that it laid next to him in his arm on Riku.

Riku fiddled with one of the bear's ears, noticing how the fur on the ragged thing was actually the same color as the little one's hair. It's one button eye was also a type of ocean blue as well. It was like a ruffled-up bear-doll version of Sora himself.

The two boys stayed like that for a long while. Sora was fast asleep in no time and Riku couldn't sleep. It wasn't as if he wasn't tired as well, he just preffered watching the littlier body. He found the sight more worth-while then any dream he could have had.

* * *

(1) Pencils back then were not coated like they are today. They were actually just sticks of charcoal with waxy outercoats to keep them from crumbling too quickly, but that didn't stop them from leaving a lot of stains.

This chapter was exceptionally long. For me. :3 Anyway, it wasn't that good, I know. Totally rushed and such.

Read, review, flames are boring.


	6. The Second Abuse

DISCLAIMER - I do not own anyone used in this fiction.

WARNING - Homosexuality and lots of fluff. Minor violence. Very, VERY minor.

RANT - Okay, here it is. First of all, this chapter was originally very VERY short. Extremely. I, of course, decided to re-write over it and make it much, much longer.

As a second note for everyone, I am announcing the renewal of **anonymous reviewing**. I have decided to give this a chance again, mostly because when I first started a long, long while ago- most of my readers were those without accounts. I didn't like having people use it as a cowardly way to insult me, though, so I took it down.

Please be polite, it's not necessary to be rude to anyone. Ever.

* * *

The sound of the crystal knob being turned on the other side of the white, wooden door was what first made Sora furrow his brows. He wasn't a very light sleeper normally, but he had barely fallen asleep since he and his cousin had stopped playing. Riku was still stroking his hair, his heart still beating steadily, though as the door opened Sora heard it jump.

"Master, Riku." Began a cheerful voice, a female's. Her words were just slightly high-pitched, like bells, and soft. Slow, smooth, and nearly lyrical. A very pretty voice. "I brought... oh my, who is this?"

Sora didn't have to look up to tell she was referring to him, keeping as still as possible. It wasn't hard, really, as he was still feeling like a sloth on a branch. So very tired, and so very comfortable.

"He is Sora... The boy who was brought here to live with us." Riku replied, as quietly as possible. He had his arms around the brunet almost as soon as the woman had entered, almost possessively hugging Sora's small shoulders. "Please... don't wake him. I like him here."

"Now, Riku," the lady with the high voice began. She was so gentle as she addressed the young master. Even giggling ever so lightly. "You know it's dangerous for him to be around you without some kind of supervision. I could stay, but then your parents would be mad. They want Sora to eat with them tonight."

"... Why do they never ask for my presence?" Riku asked, the near desperate sadness so evident in his beautiful voice. It turned into a low growl. "I could be carried down stairs, or they could have it with me. I'm not so much of a burden they can't spend time with me!"

"Young master…"

Riku sighed heavily against Sora's ear, and even the brunet felt as if he might cry. He took a slow, discrete breath to keep his eyes from watering. He couldn't imagine what it must have felt like... Not being wanted by your own parents. To be forced to be kept away, like some item in an attic, instead of having funny conversations at the dinner table.

_But why? Maybe that evil lady was right... Maybe Uncle Yazoo and Aunt Aerith can't be trusted... Will they stuff me into some closet to be forgotten?_ Sora squeezed his teddy bear tightly, trying to will away the anxiety without being caught awake. But alas, it wouldn't matter. Riku began to carefully push against Sora's reluctant shoulders, making the boy whine in dismay.

"Sora... I'm sorry, but you can't sleep here tonight after all." Riku stated, right into Sora's brown locks. He didn't sound as mad anymore, but his voice was stiff. "Sora."

"Riku..." Sora grumbled back, finally sitting up. At all the speed of a snail crossing a broad road. He sighed, giving Riku the biggest pair of watery eyes imaginable. A tear accidentally escaped down his cheek and his lips were set into a deep, frowning pout. "Don't make me leave..."

Riku was so shocked to see Sora so sad. He unconsciously ran a hand down the little one's cheek, just over the eye where the tear had fallen. He rubbed it away with his thumb, and smiled. He did seem happier, if only a little bit. "But you have to... Aren't you hungry?"

"No..." Sora lied through a whine, then felt his stomach grumble. "Yes, but I don't want to go..."

The brunet immediately attached himself around Riku's middle, holding onto him and his bear in a vice grip, both his palms gripping Riku's pajama dress. He knew Riku was fragile, so though his lock was tight between his hands, it wasn't so tight around his cousin.

"You're so clingy." But it didn't sound as if that were a bad thing. The way his cousin had said it, Sora could swear he just made Riku's day... which made Sora smile. "Don't be so bratty."

"I am not!"

"Yes you are."

"Not."

"Are."

"Now, now, Sora…" Interrupted the woman. Her smile seemed to be a little forced, or was that just his imagination? She approached the bed, placing a warm, tender hand on Sora's back. Right where his spine and neck connected. "Stop arguing. You can see Riku another time."

Sora looked up at Riku, pulling his teddy close to his chest as he slowly sat up. He stared at his cousin, silently asking for him not to let him go. To force this woman to let him stay. "But I- "

"Go on, Sora." Riku said sweetly, a hidden bitterness in his eyes as he flicked Sora on the forehead. "What did I say about being bratty?"

"Not!"

"Are."

"Not, not!"

"Are so."

Sora almost growled, but Riku's eyes kept him in place. He stared into them a moment longer, not hearing as the woman sighed and coughed in order to try and grab his attention again. "Riku… Do you promise?"

"Promise what, Sora?"

"Promise we'll play again? That I'll see you tomorrow? And maybe the next day?"

"... You want to come back every day?"

"Yes!" Sora was a little too excited with that response, but it made Riku shake his head and laugh. So that meant it was okay. "I really like playing with you. I like talking to you. I like that you're my cousin."

"Sora..." Riku had to close his eyes. He was smiling, and he had sounded happy, but he just couldn't look at Sora anymore.

The brunet moved forward as a silence grew and the woman became that much more impatient, tapping her foot. He carefully kissed Riku on his temple and gave him a final hug. "Don't be sad..." He whispered, letting go.

"Master Sora, your dinner…" Began the woman softly, her voice sounding stern.

Sora gave Riku a final smile before hopping off the bed, in a much more graceful way then he had when rescuing his bear earlier. He hugged his teddy tight to him as his feet hit the floor. His big, blue eyes stayed trained on Riku the entire walk out of the door. He waved, still so hesitant to leave, but he did.

"I will return shortly, Master Riku." The woman said, seconds after Sora let himself out. She bowed herself through the door, closing it with a soft click.

Riku blinked, rubbing one of his eyes. The lady had brought in a tray covered in food with her, of fruits and vegetables and very soft meats. It was left on the dresser by the door, and then forgotten. This confused Riku immensely, one because he could not reach his meal... and two, because she never left him before he was done eating.

_Probably just making sure Sora actually leaves... _Riku thought with a scowl. His anger flared out suddenly, so annoyed at them both. When the train that ran around his room finally made it back to his headboard, which it did- quite unfortunately- just as he was at his peak, he grabbed it with a rough hand and threw the toy at the door.

Sora had just barely touched the first step out of the white hall when his arm was roughly grabbed. He was stumbling and falling all over the place, being lifted up a few inches too high for his feet to carry him. He had a firm grip on his companion, but he had almost lost the bear with that first, surprising jerk.

With a yelp, he was suddenly tossed out into the hall. He was in front of Uncle Yazoo's office, flat on his stomach. He turned to glare at whoever had grabbed him, tears pricking up, and nearly gasped. Wide, sapphire eyes beheld the woman that was in the room. The same woman with the pretty voice. She was staring at him as if he were a rodent with disease ridden fleas. Her once comforting hands were on her hips and a very unhappy sneer was plastered across her lips.

"Why… Why did you…?"

"You are a nasty little boy who needs to keep his distance from Sir Riku. He's ill, and very fragile. You could brake his arm just by leaning too hard against it!" If Sora didn't know better about the way people worked, and admittedly he somewhat didn't, he would have sworn her eyes were close to changing colors. From brown to red. She hissed at him like a demon, which was actually rather scary with how high-pithed her voice was.

But Sora was always a brave boy.

"I wouldn't hurt Riku!" Sora yelled back, just as angrily. "I care about him!"

"Care about him? Ridiculous! You're a child. Caring about _anything_ is beyond you! You don't know what you're feeling yet!" She snapped back, taking hold of the handle inside the hidden door. "He isn't a plaything, he isn't some playmate- he's a sick, frail young man who is better off without you!"

And with that final note, the door to his new friend and only cousin was shut and locked firmly- leaving a lost, confused little boy to stare hopelessly into the empty space as he clung to his furry companion.

_... Riku... What's going on?_

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There it is. Rejoice and what not.

Oh, and for anyone who wants to know who this new evil woman is... It's Rinoa Heartilly. I freaking hate her.

Read, review, flames will be ignored. Then laughed. Then ignored for a while, then laughed at again.


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